Chanel Contos launched a petition urging the state government to overhaul sex education and consent laws.Credit:Liliana Zaharia
‘I want to normalise reporting sexual assault’
Ms Contos planned to submit her own SARO report on Tuesday night as part of the campaign. She said she hoped to create an environment where it was normal for people to speak out and report their sexual assault.
“I want to provide justice for people who were so young or uneducated that they didn’t know it was sexual assault at the time,” she said.
“And I want to create an environment where people feel as though we’re supporting each other,so that if there is a repeat offender,the person who is brave enough to report to the police has the backing of people’s historical claims.”
She said the reporting campaign was “forward-facing”,much like her push for education reform.
How does it work?
- TheSARO questionnaire enables sexual assault victims to share their story without formally reporting the matter to police.
- People can choose to provide their details or report anonymously.
- The informal report will not initiate a criminal investigation but the information gathered may be used to help police develop strategies that target offenders and reduce repeat offending.
- Victims can also formally report sexual assault by telephoning their local police station and booking an appointment,visiting their local police station or calling Crime Stoppers.
“It’s validation for future victims. At the same time,it’s prevention for people who think something they’ve done in the past is not right;they have to be very conscious of their actions in the future,” she said.
Recorded sexual assault incidents rose by 10 per cent in the 24 months to December last year,but it remains one of the most under-reported crimes. NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller last week said it was “the single crime problem that we[NSW Police] are really struggling with”.
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Ms Maloney,who became commander of the sex crimes squad last month,said NSW Police was committed to supporting a victim’s pursuit for justice and providing appropriate support.
“We understand that completing this questionnaire may be difficult for victims as they are being asked to remember,in some detail,what happened,” she said. “If you are seeing a counsellor,it may be useful to talk with them before filling it in so you can prepare a few helpful strategies.”
Sexual Assault,Family&Domestic Violence Counselling Line:1800 737 732